Packing ring



May 2% 1928.

P. M. GILMER PACKING RING Filed May 10, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E 5 MW 0 c 6 Patented May- 29, 1928.

PERCY M. GILMER, OF ROANGKE, VIRGINIA.

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Application filed May 10,

This improvementrelates to such packing rings as are used on pistons of steam engines and pumps and valves and similar structures. I

The object of the invention is to produce a structure wherein the members of the ring are yieldingly pressed outward against the inner faceof the cylinder or similar body in which the piston is to reciprocate, and in' which structure the ring members are held in position in'the piston head whenever external resistance to the outward movement of .said members is absent. This allows assembling the parts of the ring on the piston head in position to be inserted into the cylinder without effort to keep the ring members in place, and this prevents the release of the ring members from the piston head (vivhen said head is removed from the cylin- In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a part of a piston head having on its perimeter two channels each of which may receive two of my improved piston rings, two piston ring members or sections being in position in one of the channels;

Fig. 2 is an elevation. looking at the piston head perpendicularly to its axis;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of one of the primary ring sections or members;

Fig. 4 is a similar perspective of one of the primary ring sections or members bearing at one side a short piece of secondary section;

Fig. 5 is a perspective of one of the secondary ring sections or members;

Fig. 6 is a perspective of the same section viewed from the opposite side;

Fig. 7 is a perspective of one of the secondary key sections or members;

Fig. 8 is an upright section on the line 8-8, of Fig. 1, looking in the direction 0t thearrow;

Fig. 9 is'a plan showing the perlmeter of the ring drawn in a plane, the secondary key sections being in position for removal.

Referring to the drawings, A is the piston head, A, A are circumferential channels formed in the perimeter of the head. Each of these channels has a transverse or bottom wall and two upright walls. In each channel one upright wall has a horizontal upper flange, A directed toward the opposite wall of the same channel. In the form shown in the drawings, eachfiange,

1927. Serial No. 190,258.

A is near the other channel. A reason for this will be stated further on. Each flange is cut away to form a notch, A, extending to. the plane of the adjacent upri ht wal and as long or a little longer than t e short flanges on the secondary key ring section to be described further on, said section being the last to be placed into the channel during the assembling of the ring, and said section being the first to be removed when the ring is .to be taken from the piston head.

A blade spring, B, is placed into each channel to lie parallel to the inner or bottom face of the channel. This spring isunder strain to press outward. Its width is a little less than the space between the flange, A, and they opposite upri ht wall thus allowing easy insertion in t e channel.

C is one of the primary ring .sections. Thishas an inner or lower face, 0 resting on the spring, B. Said section has an upright face, 0, (at the ri ht as shown in Fig. 1) bearing against t e adjacent upright wall of the channel. The other upright face, C, of said section is ofl-set to form a shoulder, G, as shown in Fig. 1. All

- but one of these primary ring sections are alike and bear the symbol, C. The other is designated by the symbol, C. That is the controlling primary section. To that is attached a block, C, which extends into the path of the secondary ring sections, as will appear further on.

The total length of the primary sections is a little less than the length of the-channel,

in order that these sections may be moved endwise in the channel for insertion and removal. a

Secondary ring sections, D, are placed beside and against the sections, C. All have 1 an inverted shoulder, D engaging the shoulder, C of the adjacent section, C. The opposite side of each section D, has a flange, D extending under the adjacent flange, A of the piston head. Engagement between said flanges stops outward movement of the section, D, the spring, B, tending to press said section outward farther. Engagement between the shoulders, C and D limits outward movement of the pri a mary section, C.

A single secondary section, I) which we will call the key section) has t e flange, D cut away excepting at the ends of said section. Thus short flanges, D, remain.

Thesev short flanges are adapted to move movement -is limited by the controlling block, C, which, as above described, is sup ported on the controlling primary ring section, C, and extends into the path of the secondary ring sections and is of the same cross section as the secondary ring sections.

Indeed this block may be conveniently produced by cutting it from the secondary key section, I), and attaching it to the section, (1". Said block is placed approximately midway between the'ends of the section, (3. And this block and the ends of the adjacent secondary sections are adapted to engage each other. That prevents the sections of either set from moving endwise relative to the sections of-the other set far enough to bring joints of one set opposite joints of the other set. In other words, by this means broken joints are maintained 'continually. This is for the purpose of limiting the passing of steam or other fluid and also to hinder the release of the sections from the channel. I I

If a primary section were to break, the pieces would be held in position by the inverted shoulder, D of the adjacent secondary section. It a secondary section were to break, the flange, A, would hold the pieces.

The primary sections and the secondary sections are seated on the spring, B, and by thatspring pushed outward evenly against the inner face of the cylinder. The outer faces of these sections will be worn evenly, although they differ in hardness.

During-the reciprocations of the piston, the steam bears against the projecting part of the upright 'face C of the primary sections. That presses those sections toward the flange, A, the flange, D making a seal.v There is no seal at A because thile notch, A, makes a vent from the channe Y For assembling the ring sections. in the piston head, proceed as follows:

Place the spring into the channel. Next place into the channelall the primary sec tions, C, thus leaving a gap by the omission of the controlling primary section, C. This gap should be opposite the notch, A, in the flange, A

Through that gap insert all the secondary sections, D, leaving a gap opposite the notch, A. Now the sections, 0 and D, remain to be inserted. Through the gap insert the controlling section, C, in position to bring the key block, G", into, the path of the sections D, and close to either end,of

the secondary sections, l), in the direction or the movement of'the section, D until a space equal to the length of the section, 1D, has been formed.

When thus assembled, all the sections remain in place without the aid of extraneous holding means.

For removing the ring sections from the channel, the steps above described are to be reversed, all the sections both primary and secondary being moved along the channel until the key block, C, is atone end of the. notch, Afland the adjacent end of the key section, D is opposite the notch, A Then that end of the section, D may be lifted out of the notch. Then the section, D may be moved toward the block, C", until the flange, D, at the other end of the section,

l),'passes outward through the notch, A.

Now the controlling primary section, 0, may be lifted out. This leaves a gap large enough for the removal of the remaining primary and secondary ring sections.

In practice, ithas been found that, during operation, the ring sections creep endwise in the channel. But, as above indicated, the

controlling block, C, compels the two kinds of sections to creep in unison, whereby lap relation is maintained.

I claim asmy invention,

1. In, a structure of the kind described, the combination with a body having a circumferential'channel on which is a flange, of a spring, primary ring sections seated in the channel and having a base flan e, and secondary ring sections seated beslde the primary section and overlapping the flanges of the )rimary sections and adapted to on gage said channel flan e.

2. In a structure 0 the kind described, the combination with a body having a circumferential channel on which is a flange, of a spring, primary ring sections seated in the channel and having a base flan e, and

secondary ring sections seated beslde the primary sections and overlapping the flanges of the primary sections and adapted toengage said channel flange, one of said sections bearing a member extendin into the path of the sections of the other kind.

3. In a structure of the kind described, the combination with a body having a circumferential channel on which is a flange,

of a spring, primary ring sections seated in the channel and having a base flange, and secondary ring sections seated beside the primary sections and overlapping the flanges of the primary sections and adapted to en- -of a spring, primary ring sections seated in the channel and having a base flange, and secondary ring sections-seated beside the primary sections and overlapping the flanges of the primary sections and adapted to en'- gage said channel flange, one of the primary sections bearing a member adapted to extend into the path of the secondary sections.

5. In. a structure of the kind described, the combination with a body having a circumferential channel on which is a flange, of a spring, primary ring sections seated in the channel and having a base flange, and secondary ring sections seated beside the primary sections and overlapping'tihe flanges of the primary sections and adapted to engage saidchannel flange, one of the primary sections bearing (betweenv its ends) a member adapted to extend into the path of the secondary sections. 6. In a structure of the kind described, the combination with a body having a circumferential channel on which is a flange in which is a notch, of a spring, primary ring sections seated in the channel and having a base flange, and secondary ring sections seated beside the primary sections and overlapping the flanges of the primary sec-.

tions and adapted to engage said channel flange, one of the secondary sections being shaped for insertion at said notch.

7. In a structure of the kind described, the combination with a body having a circumferential. channel on which is at flange having a-notch, of a spring, primary ring sections seated in said channel sections in the channel, and secondary ring. sections seated beside the primary sections and engaging the primary sections and one; of said sections bearing a member extending into' adapted to engage said flange,

the path of the sections of the other kind, and, one of the secondary sections being shaped for insertion at said notch,

8.-In' a structure of the kind described, the combination with a body having a circumferential channel on which is a flange having a notch, of a spring, primary ring sections seated in said channel spring and each having a flange and one of said sections havinga' block, and secondary ring sections placed between the primary sections and the channel flange and each having an inverted shoulder resting on the flange of the primary sections and said secondary sections having flanges extending under 'thechannel flange and one of the secondary sectionshaving at each end a'short flange adapted to be moved through the channel flange notch.

on said 9, In a structure of the kind described,

the combination with a body having a cir- .cumferential channel on which is a flange having a notch, of a spring, primary ring on said spring and each having a flange and one of said sections having a key block, and secondary ring sections placed between the primary sections and the channel flange and each having'an inverted shoulderresting on the flange-of the primary sections and said secondary sections having flanges extending under the channel flange and one of the secondary sections being shorter than the others and having at each end a short flange adapted to be movedthrough the channel flange v i In testimony whereof I have signed my name, this 28th day of April, in the year one thousand nine hundred and twentyseven.

PERCY M. GILWR. 

